Wood recommendations?

[graham88]

Hi,
I'm currently prototyping a computer desk, the legs and monitor arm are black steel tubes and I've a lower section that on the real thing will have a lower deck which I will use black pipes as a spacer between the surfaces. Just looking for any recommendations on the best wood to use aesthetically? Keep the whole thing dark (walnut, wenge, sapele) or contrast with a lighter wood (ash, maple etc.)?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ollie78]

Walnut is lovely but stupidly expensive also not super hard.
Maple or Sycamore are lovely lighter options which can have great figuring in them, also quite hard and durable.
Does it need to be solid wood? You could do a veneered ply with a solid liping on it, I have done a few desks this way.
Made my brother an Ash desk for his music stuff it worked out nicely.

Trouble is the style is just individual taste and everyone is different, it also depends on the room its in and all that stuff.

Do what you think and trust your eyes.

Ollie

 

[graham88]

Walnut is lovely but stupidly expensive also not super hard.
Maple or Sycamore are lovely lighter options which can have great figuring in them, also quite hard and durable.
Does it need to be solid wood? You could do a veneered ply with a solid liping on it, I have done a few desks this way.
Made my brother an Ash desk for his music stuff it worked out nicely.

Trouble is the style is just individual taste and everyone is different, it also depends on the room its in and all that stuff.

Do what you think and trust your eyes.

Ollie

The ply option sounds interesting. Would probably be better in the long run too since its got less chance of warping. Good point about the room, it's going next to an oak chest of drawers so Probaby an oak veneered top with maybe some ash lipping (got loads of the stuff already) just to break up any obvious colour differences between the two pieces.

Any suggestions for a good veneer supplier?

Thanks for the help Ollie

 

[Ollie78]

I bought ready veneered boards, you can get mdf or ply. Try the usual suspects, Lavers, James latham , Timbmet, Sl Hardwoods etc.

Ollie

 

[graham88]

Awesome. Thanks again Ollie

 

[StilwellDesigns]

Fumed oak veneer from Crispin Capital, beautiful stuff!